Auxiliary tub attachment for washing machines



April 13, 1948. H. F. HUSTED AUXILIARY TUB ATTACHMENT FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed July 12, 1945 Patented Apr. 13, 1948 I AUXILIARY TUB ATTACHMENT FOR WASHING MACHINES Harry F. Busted, Shavertown, Pa. Application July 12, 1945, Serial No. 604.619

Claims. (Cl. 884) This invention relates to washing machines.

An object of this invention is to provide an attachment for a washing machine whereby small articles can be washed in the regular size ma chines without using the normal amount of water and soap, the attachment being mounted within the tub and forming a reduced size inner removable tub which is positioned about the regular agitator and is held in watertight position relative to the main tub bottom by means of suction cups.

Another object of this invention is to provide an attachment of this kind which can be applied to or removed from the tub without changing any 'of the present parts of thetub or the machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide an attachment of this kind which includes a cyis in the form of an attachment for removable engagement within the main tub Ill. The auxiliary tub ll comprises a cylindrical wall l5 having lindrical auxiliary tub of a diameter substantially smaller than and of a height less than the main tubfor engagement about the agitator, a plurality of suction elements fixed to the auxiliary tub for holding the latter about the agitator and a sealing ring on the lower end of the auxiliary tub for contact with the bottom of the main tub whereby the cleaning fluid will be retained in the auxiliary tub.

To the foregoing objects, and others which may hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings but it is to be understood that changes, variations and'modiflcations may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention, as claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of awashing machine having an attachment constructed accord ing to an embodiment of this invention. Y

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the attachment.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

In the drawings the numeral l0 designates generally a main tub of a washing machine which is formed of an upright or cylindrical wall fl and a bottom wall l2. An agitator structure I! is rotatably mounted within the main tub l0, being centrally disposed and adapted to be oscillated by conventional means (not shown).

In order to provide a meanswhereby a small number of small articles may be washed within the tub l0, without filling ,this tub to the usual height, or discharge unnecessarily soap or soap powder into the water, I have provided an auxiliary structure, generally designated as II, which spaced reinforcing ribs or beads l8 and I1, and an intumed upper edge l8.

The cylindrical wall I! has secured to the lower end thereof, a sealing member, generally designated as I 9. This sealing member l9 comprises a resilient tubular member 20 which has extending therefrom a channel member '22 within which the lower edge of the cylindrical wall i5 is adapted to snugly engage. The sealing member 20 and the channel member 22 are formed as a continuous ring, and the inherent resiliency of the walls of the channel 22 will provide for the maintaining of the sealing member on the lower end of the side wall IS. The tubular member 20 is adapted to engage the upper surface of the bottom wall I2, as shown in Figure 1, and to be disposed in sealing position and maintained in sealing position by means of a plurality of, resilient suction cups 23.

Right angular cup supporting arms 24 have one side 25 thereof secured to the outer side of the cylindrical wall i5, and the other side 26 thereof extending radially outwardly.

A threaded bolt or stem 21, which is carried by-the sealing cup '22, is adapted to engage through an opening 28 formed in the outwardly extending side 28, and removable nut member 29 is threaded on the bolt 2,! so as to clamp the cup member 23 on the side or arm 26. i

As shown in Figure 3, thecup members 23 normally have the lower edges 30 thereof disposed slightly above the lower edge or surface 3| of the sealing member 20. In this manner the sealing member 20 will be assured of being distorted before the cup members 23 are in clamping engagement with the bottom wall l2.

In the use of this attachment the auxiliary tub M 'has a diameter substantially less than' disposed in clamping engagement with the bottom wall so asto maintain the sealing member 20 distorted and in sealing engagement with the bottom wall. The water or liquid which is used for cleaning the articles disposed within the P auxiliary tub may then be placed within this tub to the desired height, and the agitator I3 is operated in the normal manner.

This device will provide a removable attachment by means 01 .which a large main tub of a washing machine may be used for washing a small number of articles which may be of small size and which, under normal conditions, cannot be washed alone in the main tub in an economical manner.

I claim:

1. In combination with a main wash tub of a washing machine above whose bottom projects an agitator centrally, a tubular shell placed upon the bottom of the main tub so as to surround the agitator and provide between the tubular shell and the shell of the main tub an annular space, whereby the bottom of the main tub forms a bottom for the tubular shell, an annular hollow compressible bead carried by the lower edge of the tubular shell'resting upon the bottom of the main tub, and means frictionally engaging the bottom of said main tub in said annular channel securing a. tight hold upon said bottom and engaging said tubular shell to compress the bead in fluid tight sealing relation upon the bottom of the main tub.

2. In combination with the main wash tub of a washing machine above whose bottom projects a rotatable agitator, a tubular shell seated upon' the bottom of the main t-ub so as to make the bottom of the main tub the bottom of the tubular shell and so as to completely surround the agitator to provide between the tubular shell and main tub an annular space, a plurality of suction cups rigidly carried by the lowermost part of the tubular shell and stationed in said annular space, for engaging the bottom of the main tub for the purpose of preventing lateral or vertical shifting of the tubular shell in said main tub, and sealing means covering the lowermost edge of the tubular shell and engaging the bottom of the main tub, caused by said engagement of suction cups with the bottom of the main tub to press the tubular shell into fluidsealing relationship with said bottom of the main tub.

3. Ina washing machine, a main tub having a bottom, a washing machine agitator operatively positioned centrally in the bottom of the main tub, an auxiliary removable tubular shell open at its top and bottom positioned upon the bottom of the main tub so as to directly enclose the agitator and have the walls thereof spaced from those of the main tub so the agitator works in the auxiliary shell alone, while the bottom or the main tub forms the bottom or this auxiliary shell, an annular compressible bead member attached to the lower edge of the auxiliary shell, and means in said main tub outside of the auxiliary shell frictionally and removably engaging the bottom of the main tub andengaging the auxiliary shell for pressing the bead member upon the bottom of the main tub to provide a constantly held fluid tight seal between said tub and shell.

4. As a new article of manufacture a tubular shell open at its bottom, an annular compressible bead fitted against the lower edge of the shell so as to cover the same resiliently, and a plurality of radially disposed supporting members for the shell, each of said members consisting of'a suction cup and an arm secured to the side of the shell so as to dispose the suction cup parallel to the axis of the shell and so that the lowermost part of the extended bead normally extends below the suction cups so as to slightly elevate the shell from the surface tobe engaged by said suction cups.

5. As a new article ofmanufacture an open ended' tubular shell, an annularly disposed compressible sealing member on one end of said shell, peripherally disposed shell supporting members carried by said shell, said latter members including a suction cup for engagement with the surface to which said shell is to be attached, said suction cups and said sealing member being so related that said sealing member will be compressed upon the engagement of said suction cups with the surface on which the shell is attached.

HARRY F. HUSTED.

v REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

